Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frenchtown, New Jersey 08825
Sunday, August 12, 2007 18:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot climbed the airplane to 1,400 feet above mean sea level. He turned left over a river, applied carburetor heat to the engine, and descended the airplane to approximately 500 feet above the water. He then secured the carburetor heat and opened the throttle, but there was no engine response. The engine "sounded o.k." but remained at idle power regardless of throttle position. The pilot checked that the fuel selector was on, and 300 to 400 feet above the river, turned the airplane toward a shoreline. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a field; however, prior to reaching it, the airplane descended into a tree. No examination of the airplane was performed at the accident scene, and a cursory examination by the owner at a later date yielded no preaccident mechanical anomalies. Ambient temperature and dew point values indicated a probability of serious carburetor icing at glide power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Frenchtown
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08825
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403005N
Event Location Longitude 0750334W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID DYL
Elevation of weather observation facility 394
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24330
NTSB Notification Source Daily sheets
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allentown

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6429H
NTSB Number NYC07LA192
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 19612
Certified Max Gross Weight 1180
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1449
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Flyboys Partners, LP
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bryn Athyn
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19009
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Stewart Nicholson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Doylestown
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 18901
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 9N1
Departure City Erwinna
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 9N1
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 10 2008 7:54PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --